- Author: Launa Herrmann
Every gardener knows fauna comes with the flora. Depending upon where you live and the size of your garden, the wildlife population can vary. Over the years I have encountered many critters inhabiting my gardens — possums, raccoons, skunks, deer, along with more reptiles than I care to recall, and numerous birds. Generally, the wildlife in my backyard serenely blends with the foliage. Occasionally, one will prey on the other. And sometimes during car trips and walks I've witnessed the squished remains of these roadway victims.
Last year, while dodging a flock of wild turkeys strutting across a street, I light-heartedly joked with my grandson that they were heading for a nearby sandwich shop. Only recently after perusing an intriguing news article did I learn that “flattened fauna” is now purposely sought out and collected by retired scientists and dedicated hobbyists — and for good reason.
It seems that both fresh roadkill and decayed carcasses are forensic tools used in the study of traffic and migration patterns, habitats and genetics. Even the remains of a gopher snake aren't exempt from scrutiny but used to document this reptile's dietary changes in urban areas.
Frankly, I'm taking a second glance at the wildlife running amok in my backyard. I plan to think twice the next time I chase away that marauder that mangles my flower bed and the thief that strips bare the fruit tree. As I watch them scramble up the fence, I'll still mourn my harvest losses and hope like crazy that they can beat the traffic on the other side.
For more information on roadkill, visit www.wildlifecrossing.net/california — an online repository for the California Roadkill Observation System. Also, check out the Wall Street Journal article, “Roadkill: It's Not Just for Breakfast Anymore,” A-1, January 17, 2017.